Credit: WBAL-TV
Donta Allen in an interview last year with WBAL-TV's Jayne Miller.

6:54 p.m.

There was plenty of conflict on the sixth day of the second degree murder trial of Baltimore City Police Officer Caesar Goodson, the police van driver who is charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

The day started with Judge Barry Williams denying a defense motion to dismiss the case.

Williams said at this point, the state had presented enough evidence to continue the case on all seven charges, though the judge said it was, "a close call" on the most serious charge, seocnd degree murder depraved heart.

Following that decision, the defense called five witnesses today.

The witnesses included the lead Baltimore City Police detective investigating Gray's death, Dawnyell Taylor.

She told defense attorneys about her two interviews in April of last year with Dr. Carol Allan, the assistant medical examiner who performed Freddie Gray’s autopsy.

Taylor provided notes from the interview in which Allan told police Gray’s manner of death was a, "freakish accident. that no human hands could cause."

That contradicts Allan’s testimony last week describing the manner of death as a homicide.

Under cross examination, Taylor was asked by Assistant State's Attorney Michael Schatzow, if prosecutors asked she be removed from the case because "she sabotaged the prosecutor’s case," and had conflicts with prosecutor Janice Bledsoe.

Taylor told Schatzow, "you don;t have that power," and added she remains lead detective.

Taylor said Bledsoe stormed out of a meeting with her last August, and questioned her integrity.

Later in the day, Donta Allen the second man loaded into the van was called for the defense.

In a session that at times turned standoffish, Allen told defense attorneys he couldn’t recall that day.

Later video of Allen’s statement to police was shown in which he said he heard Gray banging his head, and Allen confirmed that on the stand.

So far, the defense has presented seven witnesses this week.

More defense testimony is expected on Friday, when court resumes at 9:30.

The state could wrap up its case on Friday.

5:45 p.m.

Donta Allen told defense attorney Matt Fraling in redirect he was in fact under the influence of Xanax and heroin when he gave his statement to police, and lied at the time about his substance use.

Fraling asked Allen to read some of that statement to police. He read potrions where he told police about the banging he heard from the other side of the van. At one point, Allen asked why he was being told to read it aloud.

"Because I said so," Fraling said, to prosecutors' objection.

Judge Barry Williams then admonished Fraling to ask another question, and it was after that that Allen made the admission about his drug use on the day he spoke with police.

Once Allen finished his testimony, we was led out of the courtroom by state corrections officers.

Judge Barry Williams then recessed proceedings for the day at around 5:30 p.m.

5:10 p.m.

Donta Allen returned to the stand as video of his initial interview with police was played in court.

In that video, he is shown telling police he heard banging from the other side of a partition in the van, but did not say from which part of the van that banging was coming. Asked by defense attorney Matt Fraling on the stand, Allen said he did not recall that conversation.

On cross-examination from prosecutor Janice Bledsoe, Allen was more forthcoming. He said he remembered hearing officers on the other side of the partition calling Freddie Gray's name. He said he remembered speaking to a white officer and clarified that the banging on the wall of the van sounded like Gray banging his head, but that he could not tell for sure.

Allen's testimony came with some controversy. Notes from prosecutors' meeting with Allen were not turned over to defense. Prosecutors said nothing of substance came from that meeting, but Judge Barry Williams ordered those notes handed over just the same, and admonished the prosecution for disregarding the rules of evidence.

4:10 p.m.

As thought, the defense called Donta Allen to the stand. Allen was in the same police transport van as Freddie Gray, though he was separated from Gray by a partition down the middle of the vehicle.

Allen, himself in the custody on Pennsylvania charges, was taken to Baltimore to testify in the case. On the stand, Allen at first said he did not recall being placed in the van with Gray. Showed a record of the arrest, Allen still claimed not to remember.

He answered defense attorneys' questions several times in similar fashion.

Court is now in recess. It's unclear if Allen will take the stand when the trial resumes.

3:40 p.m.

Defense attorneys announced in court today at the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson that their next witness will be Donta Allen.

Allen was loaded into a separate section of the police transport van with Freddie Gray, when the van stopped at Pennsylvania and North Avenues.

He has offered conflicting accounts into whether he heard Gray screaming, or whether the ride in the van was bumpy.

Allen is incarcerated for a probation violation, and Judge Barry Williams say court will resume once Allen is brought into the courtroom.

3:05 p.m.

Court resumed at around 2:15 after the lunch break at the second degree murder trial of Officer Caesar Goodson, the police van driver charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

The fourth defense witness of the day and sixth overall was retired Providence, Rhode Island, police detective John Ryan, who consults police departments on training.

He testified as an expert witness.

Ryan says seat belt policy gives officers discretion.

Ryan said Officer Goodson's and Officer William Porter's actions not seat belting Gray because he resisted as he was loaded into van.

Ryan says even though Gray was described as "docile" at fourth stop, it was reasonable for officers not to seat belt Gray.

Ryan says detainees go "from docile to hostile to docile" to try to trick officers, and try to attack officers."

Prosecutors have argued that Goodson's failure to put Gray in a seat belt amounts to reckless endangerment, and contributed to Gray;'s injuries and death.

Prosecutors also say on five separate occasions Goodson could have put Gray into a seat belt and get him medical attention, and that "depraved indifference" contributed to his death.

The most serious charge against Goodson is second degree murder, depraved heart.

12:36 p.m.

The defense has now presented a total of three witnesses today, and five overall at the seocnd degree murder trial of Baltimore City Police Officer Caesar Goodson.

Following a court break before noon, prosecutors said they had finished cross examining Baltimore City Police Det. Dawnyell Taylor, who was the lead detective on the death of Gray.

After a cross-examination in which prosecutor Michael Schatzow asked if he asked for Taylor to be removed because of conflicts with fellow prosecutor Janice Beldsoe, Taylor was asked by defense attorney Andrew Graham if she was telling the truth.

"Yes," Taylor replied. With no further questions Taylor left the witness stand.

The next defense witness was Baltimore City Police transport van driver Mark Butler, who has driven the same van Goodson was driving on the day he transported Gray.

Butler said he rode with Goodson in as transport van, "hundreds of times."

However, Butler was barred from describing how well Goodson drove the van, because of objections from prosecutors.

Butler testified he was aware of the policy requiring prisoners in vans to be placed in seat belts, but he said he was never trained on the policy.

He described the seat belt as a standard lap belt, with a button that prisoners could use to release the belt.

Prosecutors declined to cross examine Butler, and he left the stand.

Judge Barry Williams then recessed court for lunch, with the proceedings scheduled to resume at 2 p.m.

12:00 p.m,

The defense is on its second witness of the day, and this witness is describing a sharp conflict between the lead Baltimore City Police Detective and Assistant State’s Attorney Janice Bledsoe.

The witness is Detective Dawnyell Taylor, who took over as lead detective in August, after the original lead detective went on medical leave.

Under questioning from defense attorney Andrew Graham, she detailed an April conversation with Dr. Carroll Allan the medical examiner, who conducted Gray's autopsy.

During the meetings on April 23 and April 29 of last year, Taylor says Allan repeatedly described the manner of Freddie Gray’s death as “a freakish accident that no human hands could cause”

This conflicts with Allan’s own testimony in which she said the manner of death was homicide.

Prosecutor Michael Schatzow, on cross examination, asked Taylor if he had asked to remove Taylor as lead detective because he had accused Taylor of "sabotaging the prosecution’s case."

Taylor replied Schatzow didn’t have the authority to do that.

Taylor said she remains the lead detective, but her bosses told her not to speak to state’s attorney’s office.

Taylor described an August , 2015, meeting with Janice Bledsoe in which she presented the findings of the Taylor meeting where Bledsoe took some of her notes and stormed out of the room.

Taylor was asked whether she questioned Bledsoe’s integrity has a prosecutor, and Taylor responded that Bledsoe questioned her integrity as a detective.

That led to a bench conference, where Bledsoe was seen gesturing to the judge and Schatzow.

He was another detective who met with Allan, along with Taylor, and said Allan gave a similar description of of the manner of Gray's death.

Alston said he did not take notes of the meeting.

These are the third and fourth witnesses for the defense.

The defense was allowed to present two expert witnesses earlier in the week, before prosecutors rested their case.

10:37 a.m.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams has denied a defense request to drop the seven charges against Baltimore City Police van driver Caesar Goodson, who is charged with the death of Freddie Gray.

The decision means the trial will move forward and the defense will begin presenting the bulk of its case today.

Judge Williams said on the most serious charge against Goodson, second degree murder, depraved heart, it was a "close call."

During the hearing the judge questioned both attorneys as whether there was enough evidence to warrant the charge.

The judge determined at this stage in the trial, which requires him to view evidence in the light most favorable to the state, there is enough evidence to move forward.

Goodson is also charged with manslaughter; second degree assault; manslaughter by auto or boat; criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle; misconduct in office; and reckless endangerment.

During the hearing, the judge asked prosecutors what evidence to they have of a "rough ride" that prosecutors believe caused Gray's injuries.

Prosecutor Michael Schatzow points to the video shown in court, which shows Goodson's van not stopping at the intersection of North Freemont and Mosher Street, and making a wide turn, before stopping after the intersection.

Schatzow said that "rough ride" is not the basis for any indictment, but does show where Gray's injuries occurred.

Judge Williams pointed out the "rough ride" video shown in court did not meet the definition provided by prosecution witness Neill Franklin.

Franklin said a rough ride is defined by a sudden stop, followed by a wide turn, followed by a sudden deceleration.

The defense has begun to present witnesses.

Defense attorneys were allowed to present two expert witnesses, earlier this week, before the state finished its case.

7:35 a.m.

The state has rested, and now it’s the defense’s turn at the second degree murder trial of Officer Caesar Goodson, charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

The defense has already presented two expert witnesses who disputed the findings of the autopsy report on Freddie Gray, that the manner of death was homicide.

This morning, before the defense presents any more witnesses, Judge Barry Williams will consider a motion by the defense to acquit Goodson on all charges, noting the state hasn’t proven its case.

That is standard procedure at criminal trials.

On Wednesday, offering a hint into how he’ll rule on that motion, Judge Williams said the defense promises a " truncated case," meaning the case will likely be short.

There is the possibility the defense could rest its case later today, or tomorrow.

In his opening statement last week, defense attorney Andrew Graham told the court that the defense would call Allen, the second man loaded into a separate section of the police transport van that carried Freddie Gray.

Allen, who is serving prison time for violating probation, had offered conflicting statement over whether the ride in the van was bumpy or smooth, and whether he heard Gray kicking and screaming in the van.

It is not clear if Allen will be called in a short defense case.

It is also possible the defense may call Officer William Porter to the stand again.

On Monday, Porter testified for the prosecution, with limited immunity, and under cross examination said he received no acknowledgement that Goodson agreed with his recommendation that Gray be taken to the hospital after the van's fourth stop, at Druid Hill and Dolphin Avenues., even though he told prosecutors Goodson said "sure" when he offered that recommendation.

At the start of his testimony, Porter said that he met with Goodson's defense team twice to discuss his testimony.

The defense also has the option of including the notes of a Baltimore City Police detective, who interviewed Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Carroll Allan, who performed the autopsy on Gray.

In those notes, Allan indicates she was considering ruling the manner of Gray;'s death as accidental.

That directly conflicts with her testimony last week, in which Allan said the phrase accidental, "never crossed my lips," except when she told her boss that the option was being ruled out in Gray's case.

Allan testified that she ruled the manner of Gray;s death was homicide.

Those notes were one of the pieces of evidence the state was forced to turn over to the defense this week, under orders from Judge Williams.

The judge had said prosecutors violated rules of discovery that requires prosecutors to turn over evidence to the defense. However, the judge is allowing the trial to continue.